Compare towns
Wallingford vs Dover vs New Milford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wallingford has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
New Milford has the youngest population (median age 42.1).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Wallingford | Dover | New Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,362Highest |
5,930Lowest |
28,334 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.6±1.8 10% above U.S. |
44.9±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
42.1±1.9Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Dover and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and New Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,773±$5kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$106,411±$8k 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,100±$8kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$391,500±$10k 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,374±$84Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$1,609±$152 14% above U.S. |
| Dover and New Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,963Lowest 91% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,150 97% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±8.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| New Milford and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #108 of 149 in CT | #1 of 282 in MA | #110 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Wallingford School District | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | New Milford School District |
| High school in town | Lyman Hall High School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | New Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5 |
9.8Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.